Magnum Moon, Lone Sailor stretch legs on muddy track

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The weather remains the main story this week at Churchill Downs, where rain has put a damper on training hours since Sunday. The main track was listed as sloppy on Tuesday and muddy on Wednesday for the special Oaks/Derby training sessions, with no workers either morning.

The arrival of trainer Todd Pletcher’s potent Derby quartet of Audible, Magnum Moon, Noble Indy, and Vino Rosso and the first local appearance by Blue Grass winner Good Magic were highlights of the last two mornings. And, as expected, they all made favorable appearances. The lone glitch among them came when Magnum Moon ducked out suddenly after his eye apparently caught one of the warning lights located on the inner rail approaching the finish line about a mile into his otherwise-routine gallop Wednesday. Magnum Moon had drifted steadily through the final furlong of his onesided Arkansas Derby victory.

Lone Sailor, he of the 57-seconds-and-change fivefurlong work here last Thursday, was the first horse on the track and the last one off during Wednesday’s session and seemed none the worse for wear from his blistering drill last week.

Flameaway certainly appeared to relish the sloppy going Tuesday, dropping to the rail while turning in a spirited gallop at slightly better than a two-minute clip from the top of the stretch all the way back around to the five-furlong pole. He displayed good energy once again, albeit while a bit more subdued, on Wednesday.

With the weather expected to clear out for the weekend, the tentative work schedule for the majority of the locally based Derby contingent will see the Pletcher band turning in their final preps Friday; Free Drop Billy, Promises Fulfilled, Good Magic, Flameaway, and My Boy Jack, who on Wednesday also made a very favorable appearance, on Saturday; Hofburg on Sunday; and Combatant on Monday.

Hofburg arrived by van from his winter base at Payson Park in Florida on Tuesday and was clearly on the muscle while galloping Wednesday.

Lone Sailor and Bravazo also are expected to have one more breeze sometime over the next several days.

Among the fillies, Monomoy Girl got the No. 1 star for her appearance Wednesday, while New York invader My Miss Lilly continues to look sharp, with her final Oaks prep scheduled for Thursday by trainer Mark Hennig.